Reclining chair



Jan. 5, 1960 N. FIDEL 2,

RECLINING CHAIR Filed July 29, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

Nellie Fidel ATTORNEY Jan. 5, 1960 N. FIDEL 2,

RECLINING CHAIR Filed Juiy 29, 1957 1 s Sheets-Sheet :s

X" INVENTOR.

Nellie Fidel ATTORNEY United States Patent RECLINING CHAIR Nellie Fidel,Great Neck, N.Y., assignor to M otlecraft Company, Inc., Brooklyn, N.Y.,a corporation Application July 29, 1957, Serial No. 674,711

3 Claims. (Cl. 155-106) This invention relates to chairs and, moreparticularly, to a pedestal supported reclining chair of the type usedin barber shops and beauty parlors.

In accordance with the invention, such a chair is provided with a noveland simplified means for locking the back of the chair in any adjustedposition, and with novel linkage means interconnecting the back and anextensible foot rest whereby the foot rest is swingably adjusted andprojected or retracted automatically responsive to adjustment of theback of the chair.

For an understanding of the invention principles, reference is made tothe following description of a typical embodiment thereof as illustratedin the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views illustrating respectively, theupright and reclining positions of the chair;

Fig. 3 is an elevation view of the back of the chair, with the coverremoved to show the adjusting mechamsm;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views of the adjustment lockillustrating two different positions thereof;

Fig. 8 is a bottom plan view of the chair seat with parts removed toillustrate the linkage; and

Fig. 9 is a phantom elevation view of the chair with the linkage showndiagrammatically.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the invention is illustrated as incorporatedin an adjustable height reclining chair 10 of the type used in barbershops and beauty parlors. In this particular example, chair 10 isillustrated as mounted on a swivel base or support 11 of the type whoseheight is adjustable by hydraulic actuator means operated by a treadle12. Chair 10 includes a generally U-shape metal frame 13 secured to theunderside of seat 15 and shaped to form a foot rail 14, upright portions16, and arms 17 to which arm rests 18 are secured.

A chair back 20 is pivotally mounted on portions '16 of frame 30, and afoot rest is hinged to the front edge of seat 15, by hinges 26, and hasan extension 27 slidably mounted therein. A head rest 28 is adjustablymounted on back 20.

Referring to Figs. 3 through 7, back 20' includes a suitably paddedquadrilateral frame 21 of Wood or metal to which a back cover issecured. Back 20 is pivotally supported on upright portions 16 oftubular frame 13 by means of a cross shaft 22 extending through thesides of frame 21 and having brackets 23 secured on its outer endsshaped to conformingly fit portions 16 to which brackets 23 are rivetedor bolted. A crank 24 is secured to the midpoint of shaft 22, whichlatter is held against turning by brackets 23.

A pair of angle irons 31 extend in spaced relation vertically of frame21 between the upper and lower members thereof. On the lower rail offrame 21, a pair of angle brackets 32 are mounted between angle irons31, and shaft 22 extends through angle irons 31 and brackets 2,919,746Patented Jan. 5, 196Q 32. Near the upper end of frame 21, a shaft 33extends through the side rails of frame 21, through angle irons 31, andthrough an angle bracket 34 secured to the upper rail of frame 21between angle irons 31. Shaft 33 has operating handles 30 secured toeither end and is formed with a flattened eye 35 (Fig. 5) between oneangle iron 31 and the nearer side rail of frame 21.

A bolt 36 extends through eye 35 and has a head 37 engaging the upperside of the eye. A sleeve 38 is slidable on bolt 36 and has a head 39engaging the lower side of eye 35. The lower end of bolt 36 is threadedand extends through an aperture in the outer end of a locking bar 40.Locking bar 40 is adjustably positioned on bolt 36 by a nut 41 on thebolt, and a spring 42 embracing bolt 36 urges head 39 of sleeve 38against eye 35 and bar 40 against nut 41.

Bar 40 extends with substantial clearance through an apertured boss 43on a saddle plate 44 bolted to angle irons 31. The inner end of bar 40is apertured to loosely embrace a rod 45 slidable through centralapertured bosses 46 on plate 44, the plate having an aperture 47 betweenbosses 46. A coil spring 48 embraces rod 45 between bar 40 and the lowerboss 46. A pin 51 connects the lower end of rod 45 to crank 24 and a pin52 in the upper end of rod 45 limits relative downward movement of therod.

The adjustment lock arrangement operates as follows. In the positionshown in Figs. 3 and 6, the combined action of springs 42 and 48 biaseslocking bar counterclockwise and holds eye 35 flatly pressed between 37and 39. In this position, bar 40 is cocked so that the corners of itsinner aperture bite into rod 45, as shown in Fig. 6, and thus lock plate44 and rod 45 against relative movement. If either handle 30 is rotated,eye 35 is turned to pull up head 37 and bolt 36. This swings bar 40 tothe position of Fig. 7, so that rod 45 may move freely through theaperture in the inner end of bar 40. Back 20 may thus pivot about rod 22relative to tubular frame 13, and is locked in adjusted position byreleasing handle 30.

Adjustment of back 20 relative to frame 13 and seat 15 effects acorresponding adjustment of the position of foot rest 25 and the extentof projection of its extension 27. Referring to Figs. 8 and 9, seat 15has a frame including side rails 53 and cross rails 54 of wood or metal,and tubular frame 13 is recurved along side rails 53. A pair of angleirons 55 extend between the side rails and support a plate 56 attachedto pillar 11.

A bar 50 is slidably supported on the upper surface of plate 56 andcarries a bracket 57 in which is secured a short rod 58. Rod 58 isconnected by a universal joint 59 to an angular rod 60 whose outer endis pivotally connected to a bracket 61 secured to the bottom rail ofchair back frame 21. Thus, when back 20 is adjusted about rod 22, bar 50is moved correspondingly, along plate 56, by bent rod 60.

A pair of links 62 have their rear ends pivotally connected to theopposite ends of bar 50 and their forward ends pivotally connected topoints intermediate the ends of a pair of links 63 whose rear ends arepivoted to a crossmember 64 adjacent rail 54 and secured in supports 66at the forward corners of the seat frame. The outer ends of links 63 arepivotally connected to the inner ends of links 67 secured to hingesattached to extension 27.

As back 20 is tilted backward, bar 50 is moved forwardly to cause links62 to swing links 63 outwardly to the full-line position of Fig. 8.Through links 67, foot rest 25 is swung out and up and extension 27 isprojected outwardly. A reverse movement takes place when back 20 isswung toward the upright position of Fig. 1, the linkage then assumingthe position shown in broken lines in Fig. 8.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been shown anddescribed in detail to illustrate the application of the inventionprinciples, it will be understood that the invention may be embodiedotherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

1. A reclining chair comprising, in combination, a supporting frameincluding a cross shaft; a seat fixed to said supporting frame; a backpivoted intermediate its upper and lower edges on said shaft formovement between upright and reclining positions; a foot rest hinged tothe forward edge of said seat; linkage connecting the lower edge of saidback to said foot rest and effective, when the back is upright, to holdthe foot rest folded against the forward edge of the seat and, as theback is swung toward a reclining position, to swing the foot restoutwardly and upwardly; a crank arm on said shaft; a rod pivotallyconnected to said crank arm; and releasable latch means slidablyembracing said rod and fixed relative to said back.

2. A reclining chair comprising, in combination, a sup porting frameincluding a cross shaft; a seat fixed to said supporting frame; a backpivoted intermediate its upper and lower edges on said shaft formovement between upright and reclining positions; a foot rest hinged tothe forward edge of said seat; linkage connecting the lower edge of saidback to said foot rest and effective, when the back is upright, to holdthe foot rest folded against the forward edge of the seat and, as theback is swung toward a reclining position, to swing the foot restoutwardly and upwardly; said foot rest having an extension slidablymounted therein; said linkage connecting said back to said extension andmoving the latter between a fully retracted position, when the back isupright, to a fully extended position when the back is in the fullreclining position; said linkage including a first pair of links pivotedto the forward edge of said seat; a second pair of links pivotallyconnecting the free ends of said first pair of links to hinge means onsaid extension; a third pair of links pivotally connected at theirforward ends to said first pair of links intermediate the ends of thelatter; and means connecting the rear ends of said third pair of linksto the lower edge of said back.

3. A reclining chair as claimed in claim 1 in which said latch meansincludes a bar having an aperture loosely receiving said rod, meansbiasing said her to a cocked position in which the edges of saidaperture grip said rod, and manually operable release means effective tomove said bar to a rod releasing position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS774,776 Perry Nov. 15, 1904 792,207 Francis June 13, 1905 1,111,685Allison Sept. 22, 1914 2,642,122 Maurer June 16, 1953

